Digital cameras must be physically and electrically connected to a host computer to enable downloads and uploads of digital content. The digital content may be, for example, images, video images, marketing material, music content, and so forth. The application to manage and control uploads and downloads resides in the host computer. This is not always convenient.
This is because the digital camera has a processor that is incapable of independently exporting digital data captured by the digital camera. The digital camera requires a connection with the host computer to and the host computer imports the digital data captured by the digital camera, and the host computer exports digital data from the host computer to the digital camera. For all relevant functions the host computer controls the process. Alternatively, a memory card or similar non-volatile memory of the digital camera may be removed and inserted into the host computer for the digital data stored in the memory card to be uploaded to the host computer. Once stored in the host computer's memory, the digital data can be uploaded to a web site. For example, there are many web sites allowing the storing of personal photographs—“FaceBook” and “U-Tube” being but two of many examples. This requires access to a host computer for uploading to take place. This may not always be convenient. Also, there is a significant loss of data integrity at such sites.
A similar problem happens when attempting to share data between a number of digital cameras or other digital devices. For high-end mobile or cellular telephones, an MMS or email can be used to send a photograph or other data, but this is expensive and slow. It is also limited in data capacity. Otherwise a storage card or other storage apparatus can be used to transfer the data. This again is quite slow, and requires the digital cameras or other digital devices to have compatibility regarding the storage used.